Another chance
by Natchou
Summary: "I just wanted to come out and say that there's something I always wanted to say to Shawn and I've never said it..." What if it wasn't too late after all? A slash story. Warning: character death.


**Disclaimer**: These characters do not belong to me, they belong to the good people at the WWE. The only character that belongs to me is Lou.

**AN**: Well, just to warn you, this fanfic starts pretty sad, but it does get better, don't worry.

The wind was cold and bitter as he walked to the old rusty gate. With white roses in his hand, Hunter sighed as he walked on the small gravely road toward his purpose. Today was a sad anniversary, a year to the day a part of his soul died forever. Wiping the tears that were already welling up in his eyes, Hunter doubled the speed of his steps and finally arrived at his destination.

"Hey, it's me." Hunter began as he sat on the wet grass. "I brought you your favorite flowers. I thought you'd like them." he said as he placed the roses on the soil in front of him. "Look, I don't really know what to say right now. Everybody misses you, you know. You mom, your dad, your entire family. But I'm sure they've told you that a million times already. The guys, at work, they miss you too. I don't think there's been a day that's went by without somebody mentionning your name or telling some crazy story involving you." Hunter laughed for a second before the sad frown that seemed to have been placed on his face permanently since that day returned.

"As for me, well as you can see, I'm doing the best I can. There's days that are harder than the others, but I guess it comes with the territory. I just never imagined me being here and you not, you know? I mean, sure, with you being retired we never really saw each other anymore, but at least you were still around, just a phone call away. It just kills me sometimes to think that I'm never going to hear you voice again, never going to see you again, never going to hug you again." Hunter stopped for a moment as he sniffled and wiped the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. He looked at the piece of marble he had been making his speech to, at the inscriptions:

**Michael Shawn Hickenbottom**

**1965-2010**

**He loved us all, he will be missed by all.**

"It's been one year since you've died, Shawn. And I miss you so much." Hunter continued. "You didn't see the other car coming and you ended up hitting the telephone pole on the other side of the highway. They told me you died instantly and you probably didn't feel any pain, like that's any consolation. God, if I had known this was how it was going to end, I would have done so many things differently. I would have called you and told you not to drive that day. I would have tried to convince Vince to let you come back with me to the WWE so we could have spend more time together. You wouldn't had have to wrestle, but at least you would still be here with me, damn it!" Hunter shouted, beginning to get angry. "I wouldn't have waisted all this time and I would have told you...I would have told you that I loved you! That I've always loved you, maybe since the moment that we've met. I've tried Shawn, I've been trying to tell you for years, but there was always something! Something just kept getting in the way to tell you how I really felt. But now you know, even if it's too late." Hunter stopped for a second and reached inside the bag he had been carrying on his shoulder and took out something that looked like a book.

"There's another reason why I'm here, besides the anniversary. The other day, your parents, they were clearing out the room they'd been keeping for you whenever you were in town and they found your journal. They wanted me to have it, since they thought it would mean a lot to me. And it does. I've been reading it and it's like I can hear your voice in my head telling me these stories and it's incredible, Shawn. But there are some things in there: about how much I mean to you, about how you miss me when I'm not there and most importantly, how much you loved me. How you loved me more than just a friend but you didn't have the guts to tell me because you were scared that I would laugh in your face and never speak to you again. Reading all that, it just broke my heart all over again, Shawn. Why didn't you tell me? After all this time and after everything we've been through together, didn't you think for a second that maybe I felt the same way about you? That I didn't spend nights alone in hotel rooms I don't know where, wishing I had more guts and told you that I loved you? I loved you so much Shawn! I still love you so much. If I had known that you had always felt that way about me, you bet I would have been the happiest man in the whole damn world. I can imagine it now: I would have taken you in my arms, I would have kissed you the way you deserved to be kissed and I would have told you everything that I've been wanting to tell you for all those years. But I never did, 'cause I'm a coward. And I can never tell you, because you're gone and it's all my damn fault." Hunter wept bitterly as he rose up from the gravesite and wiped the dirt off his jeans. "I love you Shawn and I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I had the chance." Hunter said to the gravestone before turning around and began to walk out of the cemetary.

As he walked between headtsones, he noticed a man coming toward him carrying a flashlight in his hand. _Probably starting his graveyeard shift_, Hunter thought to himself as he continued on his way out. As he passed the middle-aged looking man, the other rose his voice: "Rough night, I presume?" asked the stocky man adjusting the glasses on the tip of his nose. "How do you know?" Hunter asked. "Well, you still got tears left on your cheeks and I don't think anybody could have missed your yelling, at least from where I was standing." "Oh, uh, sorry about that." Hunter replied wiping the tears tracks that were still there. "If I'd known you were there, I wouldn't have caused such a scene. Sorry, Mr. ..." "Please, call me Lou." the other man smiled and gave Hunter his hand to shake, which he did. "So, this Shawn you were talking to over there, he was a friend of yours?" "My best friend actually." Hunter replied turning his head toward the grave and sighing. "And in that little speech you gave him, it sounded like he meant a lot more than that to you, am I right?" Lou asked while reclining on a nearby statue. "Yeah, you're right, but I never got the guts to tell him and he never knew how I really felt." Hunter said feeling the tears getting to him again. "If you had one more chance to tell him how you really feel, would you?" asked Lou while cleaning his glasses with the bottom of his shirt. "You bet I would, but I'll never have that chance, I don't deserve it." Hunter replied. "Everybody deserves another chance, Hunter, even you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a cemetary to supervise. Have a good night." Lou said as he passed Hunter. "Yeah, goodnight." Hunter replied as he made his way out of the cemetary and onto the street where his car had been parked.

Suddenly, something came to him and he turned toward where he had come from. _Wait, how did that guy know my name?_ Lost deep in thought, he didn't see where he had stopped and didn't see the ongoing traffic. He only had the time to look at the bright lights of the car coming toward him for a second before he lost consciousness.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The bright lights that had been all around him began to dim and as he opened his eyes, he finally saw where they had been coming from: the neon lights on the ceiling of his hospital room. _Wait, hospital room? _Hunter tried to move and felt a sharp pain in his right leg, a leg that was covered with a large bandage over it.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

Hunter could recognise that voice everywhere, but didn't dare to turn his head, afraid that it might be an hallucination. Finally, after counting to five in his head, Hunter slowly turned his eyes toward the source of the voice and there he was: Shawn. Beardless and younger than the last time he saw him, the last time he'd seen him alive.

"Something's wrong?" Shawn asked getting weary with the way Hunter kept looking at him. "Hmm, no sorry, just feeling a little groggy." Hunter replied. "Where am I? What happened?" Hunter asked as Shawn sat down in the chair near his hospital bed. "They just got done with the big operation on your leg. You know, to repair your quad? Geez Hunter, looks like the doctor gave you something that threw you out of a bigger loop than you needed!" Shawn quipped as a smile appeared on the corner of his lips. _Quad? Operation? _Hunter turned his eyes to the nearest wall where a clock was suspended. January 9th 2007, it read above the time. _2007? _Then that meant...

_"Everybody deserves another chance Hunter. Even you."_

Not knowing how or why but feeling grateful nonetheless, Hunter smiled and gave a silent thanks to Lou for giving him the opportunity to make his life right once again.

"Hey Shawn, listen, I've been thinking..."

**AnotherchanceAnotherchance**

Well, what did you guys think? Please leave a review, it would mean the world to me. :)


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